The ides of April (Jack Bog's Blog)

I've been so absorbed with Dick Cheney's taxes these last couple of days that I have neglected my own. Today's the day for TurboTax to do its handiwork and print out all the forms that the Bogdanskis need to file. Then the checkbook comes out.

We've got no fewer than six envelopes, folks, and six checks:

Federal 2003 income tax return
Oregon 2003 income tax return
Multnomah County 2003 income tax return
Tri-Met 2003 self-employment tax return
Federal 2004 income tax quarterly deposit
Oregon 2004 income tax quarterly deposit

Not to mention the tax on the gas that I'll have to buy to get me out on my taxpaying errands. And whatever other sly ways the government will have to squeeze some more change out of me today. If it were up to the mayor, there'd probably be a pay turnstile on the front door of every house.

The bastards! Ah well, 'tis the price we pay for civilization.

See you at Kinko's or the Post Office. When I get back, I may blog a little about John Kerry's tax return. Then I might get drunk.

BTW, if the desperate among you need an extension of time to file your federal income tax return, you have to ask for it today. You may now be able to get your extension by phone or on line, as the IRS explains here. If that fails (and knowing the IRS, it just might), the paper form you need to mail in today is here. Oregon state extension information is here. Good luck.

Comments (9)

I did mine yesterday in my spare spare time - TurboTax is da bomb! Has anyone run the rough numbers on how much W saved with his unprogressive tax cuts? I'll bet his savings are a multiple of what the average American pays.

Posted by Doug | April 15, 2004 7:27 AM

I received an interesting letter from the Oregon Department of Revenue telling me I made a mistake on my return, which they were kind enough to correct and lower my refund accordingly. The thing is, I also used TurboTax. I double-checked and TurboTax correctly pulled my total federal tax and put it on my state return (minus the early child credit received). Hopefully, they don't do this to people often, but they're mistaken if they thought I wouldn't notice and appeal this.

P.S. Don't get drunk, Jack. It can cause brain damage and cancer.

Posted by Dave | April 15, 2004 10:22 AM

Our household is right there with ya: same list as your own, but substitute "Virginia 2003 Income Tax Return" for "Tri-Met 2003 Self-Employment Tax Return". Oy, vey!

Posted by Peter | April 15, 2004 11:44 AM

Doug: Scroll down. I took a look at that yesterday.

Posted by Jack Bog | April 15, 2004 2:57 PM

Dave, only kidding. My last state of acute inebriation was in December of '02. And it wasn't intentional. My third sheet went up into the wind that night before I even realized my second one was up.

Posted by Jack Bog | April 15, 2004 10:57 PM

We can do away with all income taxes, all of your withholdings. There is a better way. Check out www.fairtax.org. This plan has been studied for over 20 years. It fully funds the govt.

Posted by Tim | April 16, 2004 5:01 AM

Tri-Met self-employment tax return!

I didn't know about that! I've never paid it! I mean, I wasn't self-employed last year, so I didn't need to, but I have been before!

Why don't they make this more prominent on the Oregon State instructions?? I'd never heard of it before!

Posted by no one in particular | April 16, 2004 1:24 PM

Well, Prof, I was about to chastise you for doing your taxes on the last day, but then I noticed you were writing checks. In which case, you are very wise not to give the government your money a day early.

I, on the other hand, put off doing my state taxes until April 1 thinking I was going to have to pay, only to finally do them and find I was getting a refund! What a boner!

And, speaking of George Bush's tax cuts, I actually made off like a bandit with Bill Clinton's tax jimmying. Between child tax credits, Hope credits, and Lifetime Learning credits, my federal tax liability went down to zero!

Of course, the sources of those credits did cost me a lot of money in 2003 too.

Posted by Gordo | April 19, 2004 12:24 PM

SIX tax returns?!?
I don't know which you should be more upset about - the money, or having to fill out so many forms!!!

Posted by stop the british national party (bnp) | May 25, 2004 1:08 PM

About

Search

Clippings

Archives

Links

E-mail, Feeds, 'n' Stuff

Thursday, April 15, 2004

The ides of April

Comments (9)

TrackBack

Sponsors

In Vino Veritas

The Occasional Book

Road Work